{My victorious moment after finishing my first 3Day. If you ever wondered how I looked without makeup & sweaty, here you go. Mystery solved.}

Tomorrow I start my fourth Susan G.Komen 3Day with my good friend Lauren, this time as a crew member. Beating breast cancer is a cause dear to my heart (as I talked about here). As part of my government class I talk to the students about the importance of giving back to your community & doing service.

I think it is so important to take some time out & do something that is much bigger then yourself. And while writing a check is important for charities & causes, being directly involved can provide so much more meaning.

Not only does the event bring a few thousand new friends together, but the lead up to the event always reminds me how great my friends & family are. Each walker has to raise $2300 (crew members do not, so we got a breather this year!) & requires a lot of support from those around you. Plus training takes up a lot of time & we’ve had great friends who were willing to walk with us in past summers to keep us company.

And of course the friends who have taken time out of their own weekends to cheer us along when we walk. Complete with signs & candy- they’re the best!

I’m pretty grateful for my actual family & the family we’ve made with our friends. And its events like these that remind me how fortunate I am.

{the celebratory beer after our second completed walk- probably not advisable}

I’m also grateful that Lauren is insane like me & continues to do this event! It is definitely a bonding experience, to say the least. We won’t need any cheerleaders this year, as we’re the ones who are motivating the walkers & making sure they’re well fed. But I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on what all this event has meant to me.

I encourage my students to pick their community service hours based on something they love or feel strongly about. It could be a political campaign, a charity, or volunteering for a kids’ sports team. Whatever it is make an effort to give time, not just money, to truly make a difference.

And with that you have my lecture of the day! Anyone want to learn about federalism now?